Welcome to the Lionfish Hunter blog. Here you can post your lionfish comments, tell hunting stories, store data, and upload pictures and videos. Scientist at NOAA research center, government agencies in the Bahamas, U.S., and Bermuda will use the information in this blog for their ongoing research regarding the destructive lionfish invasion of the Caribbean, and Atlantic oceans. Email me your lionfish data ( lionfishhunter@me.com ) and I will be happy to post it here for you.

Grand Cayman, CI – July 11, 2011 – Hungry for adventure? There’s a delicious solution to combat lionfish - an invasive fish species threatening the marine ecosystem off Grand Cayman’s shores: Eat them! Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Camana Bay and Ambassador Divers have exclusively partnered on a new Lionfish Safari package offering parties of up to six guests at a time the opportunity to join professional Divemasters and instructors in the hunt to spearfish lionfish on the open water. Divers will "spot" lionfish over the course of two dives, while staff members spear and collect them. Upon returning from the outing, the freshly-caught lionfish will be cleaned and delivered to executive chef Thomas Tennant at the restaurant, where the group will meet later that evening to feast on the morning’s catch – all the while stemming the proliferation of this voracious predator.

“Lionfish Safari is a great opportunity for diners to help save the reefs and enjoy a delicious, spontaneous meal,” says executive chef Thomas Tennant. “At the same time, they get to see – and be – the very source of the main ingredient.”

In the Caribbean, Indo Pacific Red Lionfish have no natural predators; they are skilled at out-competing the native species like the Nassau grouper and are eating an unsustainable amount of juvenile reef fish. A single adult female can lay as many as 30,000 eggs every four days. Native to the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean, the fish is said to have been accidentally released in the Carolinas and for the past several years has been invading the waters off the Florida Keys and Cayman Islands. Since 2008, the Cayman Islands have been fighting these glutinous eaters as they prey on the fish that maintain the health of the Islands’ reefs.

“Stings from the spines of the red lionfish’s dorsal fin are rarely fatal, but can be uncomfortable and cause nausea so they must be handled by licensed fishermen,” explains Jason Washington of Ambassador Divers. “The good news is that it is completely safe to consume once the venomous spines are carefully removed. The Lionfish Safari will help keep the population under control to preserve the health and beauty of the reefs, all the while providing fun and adventure.”

For two days before the much anticipated Taste of Cayman culinary event this past January, more than 100 divers assembled by Washington, in partnership with the Department of the Environment, to remove what amounted to 300 pounds of lionfish meat. Using the catch the main ingredient for his event tasting station, chef Tennant prepared Lionfish Escabeche, Cayman-style, with roasted tomato, Worcestershire, pickled vegetables, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, scallion, and cilantro.

In recognition of its efforts, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink Grand Cayman received a Certificate for Environmental Conservation Efforts from the Taste of Cayman Committee. Since then, Tennant and Washington have posted WANTED notices encouraging divers to catch the lionfish and deliver it to the restaurant for a ransom.

“I was thrilled when Jason approached us with the safari idea, because we’ve had great feedback from our customers since Taste, as I try new lionfish preparations,” explains Tennant. “I’m excited to have a new fish to work with that also helps preserve the local environment. We’re always looking for ways to get more product in-house, so when we can connect with customers and educate them in a fun and engaging way, too, it’s a win, win.”

The excursion can be booked any day of the week excluding Fridays by calling Ambassador Divers at 345.949-4530 or 345.916.1064. Guests will be picked up from their hotel at 7:45 a.m., returning to the dock at noon. Price is US $1,200 for up to 6 people, which includes a privately-chartered boat, tanks, all dive gear, and a multi-course meal that same evening at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink with a champagne toast.

Guests will discover their custom dinner menu upon arrival. From a chef’s point of view, lionfish is a versatile and easy fish to work with, friendly to many styles of preparation. Like snapper, it has a nice, thin skin, which when left on, pan-fries and sears crisp; remove the skin and toss in tempura batter for a light deep fry or in citrus juice for ceviche. Fried and pickled in vinegar for escabeche is very good, too – even simply seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil in the restaurant’s wood-burning oven.

About Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink

James Beard Award-winning chef/owner Michael Schwartz shares his passion for where food comes from at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami and Grand Cayman. This neighborhood bistro with a refreshing combination of laid-back atmosphere and seriously good food is the ultimate showcase for the type of cuisine that Schwartz does best – homemade, unpretentious, delectable, with an emphasis on great local ingredients. Menus change daily because they start with what’s in season and arriving on the doorstep from local farmers, fishermen, and ranchers. From there, it’s about letting the ingredients speak for themselves when they hit the table. The island restaurant is located at 47 Forum Lane, Suite 4103, Canella Court at Camana Bay and is open for lunch and dinner daily. Happy Hour features drink specials, Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Call 345.640.6433 to book a reservation. Find the restaurant online at www.michaelsgenuine.com, @MGFD_GCM on Twitter and on Facebook.

About Ambassador Divers

Ambassador Divers was founded in 1992 at the Ambassador Inn in South Sound. The company was purchased by Jason Washington of Arkansas, USA and Richie Bird of Liverpool, England in the year 2000. These two dive enthusiasts realized their dream of a dive operation focused on small groups and personalized service. After Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the Ambassador Inn did not survive however the dive operation is still going strong! In 2008 Ambassador Divers moved to their current location at the Comfort Suites conveniently located right next door the Marriot on Seven Mile Beach. For more information visit www.ambassadordivers.com or call 345.949-4530 or 345.916.1064

About Me (my mission)

I am an avid free diver who has been an integrall part of the island of Eleuthera Bahamas since 1989. About two years ago I was diving a favorite spot when I noticed a couple of lionfish for the first time. I thought to myself "how rare" this sighting was. Now they are everywhere. Subsequently I have done much research and found that these fish have no natural predators and are non-indigenous, prolific, and highly destructive to the eco system. My new mission in life is to inform the public and activate hunters to go out and kill as many of these fish as possible. This blog will serve as an information gathering site for this mission. To learn more, go to lionfishhunter.com . Please join the Lionfish Hunter community on Facebook and lets ALL work together to make a difference.